Banjo rest



April 21. 193 F. J. CARROLL ET AL BANJO REST Filed April 1, 1929INVENTORS Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK J'.CARROLL AND OSBURND E. REID, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA BANJO RESTApplication filed April 1, 1929.

This invention relates to improvements in a banjo rest and hasparticular reference to means for correctly positioning the banjo uponthe knee of the user and to further secure greater volume from thebanjo.

The principal object of he invention to provide means whereby a simpleattachment may be secured to the banjo in such a maor as it isinconspicuous and yet one which will cause the user of the banjo tocorrectly position the same while playing upon it,

Another object is to produce a device which is economical tomanufacture.

A further object is to produce a device which may be readily foldedagainst the banjo so that the device may be enclosed in the case whilethe banjo is placed therein.

A still further object is to provide means whereby the vibrant tones ofthe banjo are greatly increased.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Figure 1 shows a fragmentary view of a banjo having our inventionapplied thereto, and showing the position the same would assume upon theknee of the user, and

Figure 2 is across'section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Unless the banjo is properly held against the body, the arm will soonbecome tired and it will be exceedingly diflicult for the mus1- cian tocontinue playing. There is a correct position for the banjo and it180111 endeavor to provide means whereby it is necessary for the user tocorrectly position his banjo before playing, and in order to secure thegreatest volume from the banjo, I provide a tone chamber as will behereinafter described.

'In the accompanying drawings wherein ii for the purpose of illustrationis shown a pre ferred embodiment of our invention, the numeral 5designates the neck of the ban o, which carries the usual frets. Thenumerals 6 designate the strings of the banjo which are secured to aplate 7 in the usual manner.

I nary clamps 18.

Serial No. 351,651.

A bridge 9 rests upon the head 11, which head is carried upon thecustomary ring 12 and tensioned through the medium of the ordi- Theconstruction thus far described is found in the ordinary banjo and"forms no part of our invention.

We prefer to form the ring 12 by bending the same upon itself as shownat 14 so as to provide an internal spaced ring 16. The res iii; of thisconstruction is that the tone chamber 17 is provided within the head ofthe banjo. This tone chamber will add greatly to the volume of theinstrument At 18 we have shown a plate which is secured to the banjothrough the medium of the clamps 13 and carries a member hing-edlysecured thereto as shown at 19, which member is curved and designated bythe numeral 21. This curved member 21 is adapted to rest upon the kneeof the user and due to its curvature prevents side movement of theinstrument.

It will thus be seen that we have produced a device which willaccomplish all the objects above set forth.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described our invention, we claim A knee rest for a stringedmusical instrument having a curved outer periphery, comprising a platepivotally secured thereto, the axis of the pivotal point beingtangential to the outer curvature of the musical instrument, said resthaving a curvature equal to the curvature of the musical instrument, andadapted to coincide therewith when said rest is folded about its pivot,the center of curvature being oppositely disposed to the center ofcurvature to the musical instrument with said rest in its operativeposition.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

FRANK J. CARROLL. OSBURND E. REID.

